Ring, Marosevic compete in NASL

Saturday

Jul 5, 2014 at 9:00 AM

By Brenda YoungRockford Register Star

Peri Marosevic’s first appearance in a New York Cosmos uniform was eventful in more ways than one.

The former Guilford soccer standout scored in the 44th minute against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers last August for the Cosmos’ first goal in 30 years. By the end of that season, they had won the coveted Soccer Bowl for the team’s sixth North American Soccer League title in club history.

Marosevic, a 25-year-old forward from Bosnia Herzegovnia, is back for his second season with the Cosmos, who are one of 10 teams in the NASL, a second-division professional men’s league, under Major League Soccer and above the USL Professional Division. The new NASL is enjoying its third season in operation after it originally folded in 1985. The former NASL lasted from 1968-1984 and had players like Pele, George Best and Franz Beckenbauer.

“Last year was an unbelievable season for us,” said Marosevic, who made eight starts and scored two goals for the Cosmos. “We won it all in our first year back and we’re excited about what we can do this year. It’s great to be a part of a club that during the 1970s was one of the elite teams. It has a deep history and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

While Marosevic is in his second season in the NASL, his former Guilford teammate Brad Ring, 27, is making his debut as a midfielder for Indy Eleven. Similarly, both players competed in the MLS and now are keeping their professional soccer dreams alive in the NASL.

Prior to joining the Cosmos, Marosevic played for Junak Sinj of Croatia and appeared in four games in his one season. Before that, he spent three seasons in the MLS with a year in Toronto and two seasons with FC Dallas. He was selected fifth overall in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas.

“I went and played over there in Croatia and that was great,” said Marosevic, who hadn’t visited his home country in a decade. “I had some of my family to come, so it was a good experience.”

Marosevic, who played collegiately at Michigan, decided he wanted to come back to the U.S. and the opportunity to play for the Cosmos in New York opened in 2013.

“I spoke with the coaches and I thought it was the perfect situation,” he said. “This is an unbelievable state, and being able to play in New York for the prestigious Cosmos, who are starting up in this new era, was something I couldn’t say no to.”

Ring has similar sentiments in his first year with Indy Eleven. The club is an expansion team in the NASL. He played five seasons in the MLS, starting out with the San Jose Earthquakes after they selected him in the second round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. After four years with the Earthquakes, he spent the end of last season with the Portland Timbers under head coach Caleb Porter, who was on the coaching staff at Indiana when Ring played there.

While Ring had a career-high 21 regular-season appearances in 2011 with the Earthquakes, the following two years were limited with two starts in 2012 and four total with both the Earthquakes and the Timbers.

Ring said it was time to pursue other options and going back “home” to the Midwest was a good start.

“The opportunity for more playing time and being able to live in the Midwest was a good move for my career and for my family,” said Ring, who married in 2011 and now has a four-month-old son.

Ring said the club is taking its lumps in its first season as Eleven is at the bottom of the spring standings.

“We all have to remember to be patient in this inaugural season. It’s difficult for a brand new team to complete with teams who have been around for years and have established chemistry,” he said. “It’s been good so far and I know they will only continue to improve.”

Ring and Marosevic both said that their dreams of playing in the MLS were good, but are enjoying their time in the NASL.

“I’m going to give it my all here with the Indy Eleven,” Ring said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to help build professional soccer here in Indianapolis.”

Said Marosevic: “Right now, I am dedicated to this club and I am going to give all my energy and mind to making the Cosmos better.”